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JULY 10,  2011

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE:

SARAH GETTING READY TO ROLL?  Newsweek devotes its cover to a gorgeous picture of Sarah Palin, who argues that she can win a presidential election.  She's also issued some posts saying the GOP field should be expanded, and writes that a candidate must be more than someone who makes great speeches.  The candidate must be a good executive.  This was seen by some as a slap at Michele Bachmann.  Others saw it as a hint that she will endorse Governor Rick Perry of Texas if she doesn't run herself.  Sarah is throwing the spotlight back on herself.

SHOCKED, SHOCKED, OH SO SHOCKED – The Department of So-So Education is expressing shock at the number of probes of cheating that are being conducted in major school systems.  This follows a devastating finding of widespread cheating in Atlanta.  There is now a probe underway in the nation's capital, where cheating and dishonesty never have occurred.  What's remarkable is that it's taken so long for the feds to discover that cheating is a problem.  Many schools have been reporting too-good-to-be-true test scores that were too good to be true.

ITALY NEXT? Top European financial officials will meeting Monday over signs that Italy may be the next Eurozone nation to be plunged into a financial crisis.  It is chilling to see how many Western nations, including our own, are in desperate financial shape, often due to overindulgence.  Greece is not out of the woods, and Britain has seen better days.  One side effect:  Even deeper cuts in defense budgets, which already are pathetic.  The European theme has been, "Let America do it."  The Euro-socialists may be in for the shock of their lives on that one.

July 10, 2011     Permalink

A COURTESY TO THE ENEMY – AT 11:03 A.M. ET:  The Brits are our closest ally, but sometimes the things they do in deference to cultural sensitivity or the prevailing leftist culture are infuriating.  This one has infuriated members of their armed forces, and the families of British soldiers who've been killed and wounded.  From London's Telegraph:

British soldiers who spot Taliban fighters planting roadside bombs are told not to shoot them because they do not pose an immediate threat, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

They are instead being ordered to just observe insurgents and record their position to reduce the risk of civilian casualties.

The controversial policy emerged at an inquest into the death of Sgt Peter Rayner, 34, a soldier from the 2nd Batallion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment who was killed in October last year by an improvised explosive device as he led a patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Wendy Rayner, 40, disclosed that in the days leading up to his death her husband been told that it was not his job to attack insurgents laying bombs.

Mrs Rayner, who lives with their young son in Bradford, told the inquest that the insurgents were being allowed to get away with the murder of British troops.

She said: “They are not allowed to fire on these terrorists. If they can see people leaving these IEDs, why can’t they take them out? One officer even told him 'I am an army Captain and you will do your job'.

And...

A key part of the MoD’s counter-insurgency theory holds that it is more important to win over civilians by not killing innocent people than it is to eliminate every potential insurgent.

One officer who has recently served in Afghanistan said that if a soldier wanted to ascertain if an insurgent was an immediate threat, he would have to approach him and expose himself to greater risk.

He said: “A British soldier manning a checkpoint at night might watch a man digging a hole for an IED 100 metres away and would not try to shoot at him. It’s a ludicrous situation.

COMMENT:  It certainly is.  And what a great way to recruit new soldiers!  Of course, Britain's defense cutbacks are so drastic these days that recruiting soldiers is the last thing on the minds of the political class. 

Fortunately, we haven't reached quite this point in the United States, and I don't think the American people would ever tolerate such restrictions on our troops.  But, given the kind of education our population is receiving these days, and who is doing the teaching, you never know.

July 10, 2011      Permalink

DEBT TALKS IN CRISIS – AT 10:44 A.M. ET:  From Fox:

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell told Fox News that he thinks a major deficit-reduction deal cutting $4 trillion over the next decade is off the table, claiming Democrats are pushing too hard for tax increases.

"Everything they've told me and the speaker is that to get a big package would require big tax increases in the middle of the economic situation," McConnell told "Fox News Sunday." He called the prospect of tax hikes a "terrible idea."

The Senate GOP leader is the latest to weigh in on the rollercoaster negotiations that are set to continue Sunday evening at the White House. That summit is taking on fresh urgency after House Speaker John Boehner announced he was lowering expectations about the size of the deficit-reduction package that can be achieved over concerns about the rift between the two parties.

COMMENT:  We know how the Dems will spin this:  Republicans are protecting tax cuts for the rich while putting the nation in jeopardy.  Hey, we may not be able to send out those Social Security checks. 

Don't put that past the Dems.  Claiming that the Republicans are ready to put all puppies to sleep is an old and often successful technique.

Talks are still scheduled at the White House for today.

July 10, 2011        Permalink

WHERE OBAMA STANDS – AT 10:27 A.M. ET:  We prefer the Rasmussen poll to others because Scott surveys likely voters, the kind who actually come out on election day.  His latest report shows the president with weak but survivable numbers:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 21% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19.

That is close to the worst showing Mr. Obama has had in the Rasmussen survey.  The index essentially measures the passion in people's views.

Overall, 46% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's performance. Fifty-three percent (53%) at least somewhat disapprove.

That is fairly typical of the president's approval during the previous year.  The approval number in the mid-40s confirms what we see in other polls.

The president doesn't reach the magic 50% number in this report.  On the other hand, his case is far from hopeless.  He has a base that remains remarkably loyal, in part because of ethnic solidarity.  He is vulnerable in 2012, but a surge in popularity due to some political maneuvering or a blunder by Republicans can give him enough support to win reelection.  The ball is in the GOP's court.

July 10, 2011     Permalink

JULY 9,  2011

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE:

ROMNEY TAKING OFF?   There's a new respect for Mitt Romney starting to emerge in a number of internet posts.  Romney's campaign ads are excellent.  His quick replies to President Obama, especially on economic matters, are sharp.  Hes well organized, with a smooth-running machine.  Is the guy learning to fight?  It's too soon to say, but Fox will have another campaign debate within weeks, and we'll be able to assess how he does, when a lot of fire is directed at him.

THE JAWS OF VICTORY?  Eyebrows are being raised over new Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's comment that we are within reach of defeating Al Qaeda.  Some analysts are saying the statement is premature, but others agree that the terror group is in poor shape in the Afghan/Pakistan region, although active elsewhere.  Panetta's statement can be read as justification for Obama's troop withdrawals from Afghanistan.  On the other hand, it can be seen as an endorsement of further effort to finish the job.  No doubt Panetta will be asked about this in coming days, and we'll get a sense of where he sees the Afghan mission.

July 9, 2011       Permalink

SPEAKER PULLS OUT OF DEBT TALKS – AT 8:43 P.M. ET:  The speaker of the House has pulled out of crisis debt talks scheduled for tomorrow at the White House, plunging the talks into uncertainty.

Speaker John Boehner is pulling out of negotiations for a large-scale deficit reduction plan.

In a statement released by the Ohio Republican Saturday night — just a day before talks with President Barack Obama — Boehner said the “White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes.”

The statement read: “I believe the best approach may be to focus on producing a smaller measure, based on the cuts identified in the Biden-led negotiations, that still meets our call for spending reforms and cuts greater than the amount of any debt limit increase.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) was pushing for a smaller scale deal, wary of how the GOP would be able to pass a larger deal.

COMMENT:  The debt debate currently in progress is one of the most important debates in our recent history.  If we can't get our fiscal house in order, we're going to turn into, as the old phrase goes, a pitiful, helpless giant.  Historically, Republicans have caved in on economic negotiations to get a deal, often abandoning party principles.  They seem to be toughing it out this time, in part because they have the power of a House majority behind them...and all money bills must originate in the House.  But let's see what happens when crunch time comes.  The Dems, with their press allies, will blame any failure on the GOP.

July 9, 2011       Permalink

REMEMBER THESE BOYS? – AT 8:49 A.M. ET: 

(Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it test-fired two long-range missiles into the Indian Ocean earlier this year, the first time it has fired missiles into that sea, according to state television.

"In the month of Bahman (Jan 21-Feb 19) two missiles with a range of 1,900 km (1,180 miles) were fired from Semnan province(in northern Iran) into the mouth of the Indian Ocean," Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division, told a news conference some of which was shown on television.

Iran usually tests its missiles in extensive deserts in the heart of the country, so the firing into the Indian Ocean is an unusual move, aimed to prove Tehran's longstanding claims it can hit targets beyond its borders.

Television showed a missile being fired but the announcer did not specify if the pictures were of the Indian Ocean test-firing. No pictures were shown of a target being hit at sea.

The announcement came after a 10-day military exercise by the elite Guards that was designed to deter Iran's enemies by showing Iran is ready and able to hit back at U.S. bases in the Middle East and at Israel.

The United States and Israel have not ruled out military strikes on Iran if necessary to stop it getting nuclear weapons.

COMMENT:  Iran has literally disappeared from the front pages.  No one in Washington even talks about it, but the Iranians are forging ahead with their nuclear program and missile development.  Our attention has turned to budgetary matters.  They're important, of course, but they become unimportant if a few cities are leveled. 

We've noted before that the Great Depression was one of the causes of World War II.  The democracies averted their eyes from the German and Japanese buildups in order to concentrate on economic problems.  Are we seeing a repeat now?  Some would argue that Iran is neither Japan nor Germany.  But nuclear weapons create a great power overnight.

What Iran sees when it looks at Barack Obama's America is a country that is cutting its defense budget and pulling forces out of the region.  If the mullahs are smiling, they have good reason.

July 9, 2011       Permalink

NEWARK ACTS ON RISING CRIME – AT 8:22 A.M. ET:  What a sad commentary on what is happening in cities around the country – flash mobs and rising numbers of robberies.  At least one city is taking action:

On the heels of an uptick in violence that claimed the life of an off-duty cop, Newark's city council voted Thursday to require all late-night restaurants that serve less than 20 people at a time to have an armed security guard posted from 9 p.m. to closing.

The vote comes less than two months after veteran Newark police officer William Johnson was gunned down standing at the counter of a fast-food restaurant in New Jersey's largest city waiting for a slice of pizza. He was off-duty at the time and not the intended target of the drive-by shooting.

Fast-food joints like the pizza spot where Johnson was slain are all over Newark. Chicken shacks, pizza parlors and Chinese restaurants serve hot, cheap food late into the night.

Newark's city council says these late-night eateries attract customers, but also crime.

"I think it's a wonderful idea. I really do," Newark resident Myra Dixon said of the initiative. "I hate that it has had to come to this, and the community because Newark used to be a nice place to live. But we gotta do what we gotta do."

But the new action comes with a cost, a cost that will drive out businesses:

Restaurant owners feared hiring security guards would strangle their finances.

Newark has tried to drive crime down, touting a 25 percent drop in the murder rate compared with last year.

But on Monday, three people were killed in various shootings within an hour of each other.

I've seen too many stories come across in the last month about rising crime in some urban areas.  We recall that one one of President Obama's friends, a professor at Harvard, didn't feel that the police treated him right one night, a "beer summit" was held at the White House to resolve this weighty matter.  How about a real summit about the stunning flash-mob hits of the last month.  Any time for that?

July 9, 2011       Permalink

ADVENTURES IN PARENTING – AT 8:08 A.M. ET:  For those readers who are parents of young children, or have close relatives or friends who are, or if you expect to be parents in the future, please examine the following wisdom from government carefully, so you can truly do justice for the little ones: 

New rules proposed by the Colorado Department of Human Services include a requirement that all day-care centers in the state make available dolls representing three different races.

The 98-page document, obtained by 7News, features a slew of rule changes. Among them: children over age two must not be served whole milk without a note from a doctor, kids over age one can't drink more than six ounces of juice per day, TV and computer time will be capped at twenty minutes daily, and staffers must wear clothes that cover their lap and shoulders. But arguably the most unusual suggestion pops up on page 77: "Dolls shall represent three (3) races."

After posting this item, we were able to reach Human Services spokeswoman Liz McDonough, who provides background on the project as a whole.

"These are national child care standards that we are proposing," she says. "They come from national standards that are entitled 'Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale.' They're minimum standards for quality in childcare -- and the process was actually started by statute back in 2000.

COMMENT:  I had a professor at the University of Chicago, an ordained minister, who used to utter the prayer, "Protect me, o Lord, from those who would protect me."  Most parents are remarkably unaware of what is being taught to their children in school.  They should make themselves aware.  And they should now make themselves aware of proposed rules for day-care centers, which will inevitably be extended to elementary schools. 

To the best of my knowledge, the three races required for dolls have not been specified.  But someone will be left out.  You can be sure of that.

Does the word "lawsuit" come to mind?  You may be sure that it will enter many minds.

July 9, 2011     Permalink